Peter James

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Peter James

Peter James

@PeterBJames

Planetary geophysicist who understands the gravity of a situation. Trying to follow Jesus. Associate prof @BaylorGeo, formerly @eapsMIT/@LamontEarth/@LPItoday

Waco, TX Katılım Haziran 2009
1K Takip Edilen1.1K Takipçiler
Peter James
Peter James@PeterBJames·
We held a poll at #LPSC2026. The Moon’s Gruithuisen domes—weird silicic volcanoes that will be the site of the upcoming CP-21 lander—should be pronounced “groo-tie-zen”. No fewer than ten pronunciations received votes, but the debate has now been settled.
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Peter James
Peter James@PeterBJames·
@BenSasse That depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is
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Peter James
Peter James@PeterBJames·
Here is the astronaut’s view from the driver’s seat. I wonder if they can arrange test drives at #LPSC2026
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PHD Comics
PHD Comics@PHDcomics·
Happy π day. Here's a pie chart
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Tim Hamilton
Tim Hamilton@TSHamiltonAstro·
What form of rhetoric is involved here? This guy said “Scholars agree that [false statement],” and I pulled up documentation to show that they don’t agree with that. The response here is stupid, but I’d like to be able to categorize what kind of stupidity it is.
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Alicia, Courtyard Urbanist
Alicia, Courtyard Urbanist@UrbanCourtyard·
Flats that "live like a house," with a front facing the public street, and a back (a quiet side) that looks into courtyard. This is what single stair reform enables
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Peter James
Peter James@PeterBJames·
@eapsMIT It would have been fun to see a crater form live, though.
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MIT EAPS
MIT EAPS@eapsMIT·
Good news - asteroid 2024 YR4 will safely pass by the moon. Andy Rivkin '91 and EAPS prof Julien de Wit secured time on the JWST to get the best look at the asteroid's path and confirmed that, while it pass by closely in 2032, it does not pose a threat. buff.ly/uVufpdj
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John M Powell
John M Powell@JohnMPowell1·
A "rockoon" is a rocket launched from a balloon. This is one we did in 1995. The rocket was carried on a box/launch platform suspended below two balloons. The rocket is launched at a slight angle, so it misses the balloons.
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Peter James
Peter James@PeterBJames·
Many planetary scientists aren't affiliated with the IAU and wouldn't have been present for the vote in any case. Planetary scientists are more like geologists, and are therefore interested in a planet's intrinsic characteristics. From that perspective, Pluto looks planet-like. The IAU is largely composed of astronomers, and astronomers define planets by how they appear through the lens of a telescope (e.g., the details of the planet's orbit).
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Sandy Petersen 🪔
Sandy Petersen 🪔@SandyofCthulhu·
A planetologist told me, bitterly, that in the conference where they literally voted to downgrade Pluto’s status, they waited till late one night until AFTER the planetologists had all gone to their hotel rooms. Then the other astronomers had their vote. He called it a “coup” and claimed that almost no planetologist was on board with the change. Is this true? I don’t know. But if I can’t confirm a story I always believe the more interesting version.
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Eric Meadows@EricCMeadows

Pluto is a planet. Period. Not interested in debating.

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Bethel McGrew
Bethel McGrew@BMcGrewvy·
(Consciousness did not, in fact, simply "arise" in biological matter with electrical signals)
Damien Carlisle@DamienCarlisle

@Musash1996 @BMcGrewvy @goingawoll Our brain is biological matter with electrical signals. What more is the brain than that? If consciousness can arise in biological matter with electrical signals, why not with metal and electrical signals?

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Peter James
Peter James@PeterBJames·
@HansFiene And the famous War of the Worlds dramatization was before that. That’s a hot start.
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Peter James
Peter James@PeterBJames·
@davidbessis Yes, I saw this video in the before-times. Oral history passed down from the elders will be indispensable in the coming decades.
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Peter James
Peter James@PeterBJames·
@cammakingminds How could simulated annealing ever be used as a proof of optimal packing? Local optimization is one thing, but I don't see how that would demonstrate global optimization. Maybe that's a dumb question.
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Peter James
Peter James@PeterBJames·
@Empty_America The world’s 10 highest mountain peaks are less than a kilometer from the summit of Mt Everest, arguably.
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Concerned Citizen
Concerned Citizen@BGatesIsaPyscho·
Yo @grok please explain it to me like I’m five years old.
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Peter James
Peter James@PeterBJames·
@SteveLovesAmmo There is no reason to ever not give this job to a local 5th grader.
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Steve 🇺🇸
Steve 🇺🇸@SteveLovesAmmo·
He will remember this for the rest of his life.
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Peter James
Peter James@PeterBJames·
@cybrtrkguy The biggest drawback of Hybrid and PHEV minivans is that you can't stow seats as easily (the battery takes up space in the undercarriage).
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